Expansible container



Oct. 20, 1942. J. F. s cHooF 2,299,182

EXPANSIBLE CONTAINER I Filed Jan. 8, 1942 Patented Oct. 20, 1942 UNETED STATES FATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and more particularly to an expansible container which, in the present instance, is intended as a combined soap container and shaving mug but may be used for holding other substances.

One object of the invention is to provide a container of such construction that an extensible section thereof may be shifted from a lowered or retracted position to a raised position in which it imparts added depth to the container and permits it to be used as a shaving mug instead of merely as a soap container.

It will thus be seen that the combined container and shaving mug Will form a very convenient article in a soldiers field kit, as it will occupy a small amount of space when collapsed and not in use, but may be extended to such a depth that it will hold a sufiicient quantity of lather for shaving.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined soap holder and shaving mug which has its sections in threaded engagement with each other so that the upper section may be easily shifted upwardly to raised position, in which position it will remain and not be liable to accidentally slip downwardly to collapsed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cover adapted to be secured upon the upper section of the container and form an air-tight closure to protect soap from exposure to air when the container is stored in a field kit or camping bag.

Another object of the invention is to so form the cover that when it is removed it may be tted under the bottom of the main section and detachably connected therewith. Therefore, the cover will provide a large auxiliary base for the container during use of the same as a shaving mug and, in addition, there will be no danger of the cover becoming misplaced and lost or dropping into mud and soiled during use of the shaving mug.

Another object of the invention is to provide an extensible container which is simple in construction, easy to operate and not liable to get out of order or become broken.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing the container collapsed.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken vertically through the collapsed container.

Fig. 4 is a view looking at the bottom of the container.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing the container extended for use as a shaving mug.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the extended container.

Fig. '7 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section, of a container having a plurality of extensible sections.

This improved container is particularly intended for use as a combined soap holder and shaving mug but it is to be understood that its use is not so limited as it may be used for holding other substances, it also being understood that the container may be initially filled while in its extended condition and its extensible section or sections shifted downwardly as the contents of the container is removed for use.

The main section or body I of the container may be formed of metal, molded plastic, or other suitable material. This main section has a bottom 2 formed at the center of its under face with a threaded socket 3, and the diameter of the bottom is such that its marginal portions project from walls of the container to form an outstanding flange 4. The upper edge face 5 of the flange is curved transversely to provide a transversely arcuate surface instead of a flat surface. It is to be noted that the walls of the container are externally threaded for the full depth of the contain'er and thus permit the internal threaded extensible section 6 to be screwed upon the main section to the lowered or collapsed position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The auxiliary section will also be formed of metal, plastic, or other suitable materials and has its upper portion externally threaded, as shown at I, so that the cover 8 may have its internally threaded flange 9 screwed tightly upon the upper end of the extensible section and form an air-tight closure for the container'. A threaded stud H3 is formed at the center of the under face of the cover for engaging in the socket 3 when the cover is removed from the extensible section and placed under the container, as shown in Fig. 5, and, referring to this figure, it will be seen that the diameter of the bottom 2 of the container is such that the cover may be applied to the container with its flange 9 surrounding the flange 4 of the container'. A small perforation or air vent H is formed through the cover so that when the cover is applied and screwed into place, air within the container may escape and not interfere with tight application of the cover. I

At its lower end, the extensible section is formed with an outstanding circumferentially extending flange l2 constituting a hand hold by means of which the extensible section may be firmly grasped and unscrewed when the container is to be used as a shaving mug. This flange has its under face l3 transversely arcuate in order that there will be a line-contact between the flanges 4 and 12 instead of flat face to face engagement between them when the extensible section is downturned to its fullest extent. This line contact between the flanges prevents the extensible section from becoming stuck and hard to loosen when screwed tightly into place to form an air-tight seal between the two sections of the container.

When the container is in use, the main section is filled with soap, or a cake of soap may be placed therein. The cover is then applied and screwed tightly into place to provide an air-tight closure for the container. The closed container may then be placed in a soldiers field kit, or a camping pack, or carried in a pocket or traveling bag, without danger of water or soap suds leaking from the container. When the soap is to be used for shaving, the cover is removed and its stud IE3 screwed into the socket 3 so that the cover will be held in place under the bottom of the main section of the container. The cover, when so applied, will be prevented from being misplaced and lost and, since the cover is of greater diameter than the bottom of the main section, it will constitute a large base for the container as well as imparting added weight to the bottom thereof and there will be less likelihood of the container overturning while in use as a shaving mug. The upper extensible section is then unscrewed from the main section until it has been shifted upwardly the desired extent and lather formed in the container in the usual manner. After the shaving operation has been completed, the upper section is screwed down to its initial position, lather removed, and the cover again applied to the upper end of the upper section. The closed container will then be put away until again needed.

Instead of using the device as an extensible container, it may be used as a collapsible container, in which case the container will be filled with material while extended to its full height. As material in the container is removed for use, the extensible section will be shifted downwardly until in a fully lowered position, where it surrounds the main section and material may be easily removed from the main section.

In Fig. '7 there has been shown a container of this character having a plurality of extensible sections indicated in general by the numerals l4 and E5. The upper section I4 is similar in construction to the section 5, but is of somewhat greater diameter as it must fit about the intermediate section 15 and the cover will be of sufficient diameter to fit the upper end of the section M. The intermediate extensible section I5 is threaded internally and externally for its full depth so that it may have threaded engagement with the main section and the upper extensible section and both of the extensible sections screwed down tightly into place when the container is collapsed. While two extensible sections have been shown in Fig. '7, it will be understood that additional sections may be employed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An extensible container comprising a main section open at its top and having a bottom and 7 an externally threaded annular wall, the bottom having marginal portions projecting from the walls to form an outstanding flange and at its center being formed with a threaded socket leading from its under face, an annular extensible section internally threaded and screwed upon the main section for adjustment thereon from a retracted position to an extended position for forming an extension of the wall of the main section, an outstanding flange about the lower end of the extensible section of greater width than the wall of the main section, confronting faces of the flanges having surfaces arcuate transversely to provide line contact between the flanges when the extensible section is screwed down tightly upon the main section, a cover for said container having a depending annular flange internally threaded and screwed upon an externally threaded upper portion of the extensible section, and a threaded stud extending from the inner face of said cover centrally thereof for engagement in the threaded socket of the bottom of the main section whereby the cover may be detachably applied to the bottom of the main section with its flange projecting upwardly about the flange of the main section.

2. An extensible container comprising a main section open at its top and having a bottom and an externally threaded annular wall, the bottom having marginal portions projecting from the walls to form an outstanding flange, an annular extensible section internally threaded'and screwed upon the annular wall of the main section for vertical adjustment from lowered position to extended position in which position it forms an extension of the main section, said extensible section having its upper portion externally threaded and being provided at its lower end with an outstanding annular flange of a diameter adapting it to project outwardly from the flange of the main section, confronting faces of the flanges being formed with transversely arcuate surfaces to provide line contact between the flanges when the extensible section is screwed down tightly into place, and a cover for the container having an internally threaded flange screwed upon the upper end of the extensible section.

3. An extensible container comprising a main section open at its top and having a bottom and an externally threaded annular wall, the bottom having marginal portions projecting from the walls to form an outstanding flange and at its center being formed with a threaded socket leading from its under face, an annular extensible section internally threaded and screwed upon the main section for adjustment thereon from retracted position to extended position for forming an extension of the wall of the main section, a cover for said container having a depending internally threaded flange and screwed upon the upper end of the extensible section, and a threaded stud extending from the center of the under face of said cover for engagement in the threaded socket in the bottom of the main section to detachably hold the cover in place under the main section with its flange fitting about the flange of the main section.

4. An extensible container comprising a main section having a bottom and an annular wall externally threaded, an extensible section internally threaded for adjustable engagement about the main section and having its upper end externally threaded, and a cover for said container having a depending internally threaded flange for engagement with the externally threaded upper end of the extensible section, the main section being formed with a threaded socket at the center of its under face, and said cover being provided with a threaded lug projecting from the center of its under face for engagement in the socket to removably hold the cover in place under the main section as an auxiliary base with its flange extending upwardly about the bottom of the main section.

5. An extensible container comprising a main section having a bottom and an annular wall!, the bottom being provided with a socket in its under face, an extensible section fitting about the wall of the main section and shiftable from a retracted position to an extended position for imparting added depth to the container, and a cover detachably engaged with the upper end of the extensible section, the cover being of appreciably greater diameter than the bottom of the main section and provided with a lug adapted to be removably engaged in said socket and detachably mounting the cover against the under face of the bottom of the main section in position to serve as an auxiliary base for the container.

6. An extensible container comprising a main section having a bottom and an annular wall, an extensible section fitting about the wall of the main section and shiftable from a retracted position to an extended position for imparting added depth to the container, and a cover detachably engaged with the upper end of the extensible section and provided at its center with a threaded lug extending from its under face, the bottom of the main section being formed at its center with a threaded socket to receive the lug and detachably mount the cover under the bottom of the main section.

JOHN F. SCHOOF. 

